Fitness Information

Article Navigation

Click Here for more articles

5 Ways To Stay Motivated

by: Tracie Johanson

Do you remember the day you first joined your gym? Wasn't it a great feeling, knowing that you had finally taken that first step towards living a healthier life? Making a conscious, positive decision to improve is rewarding, and hopefully we've all kept that promise to ourselves. But try as we might, it seems that there's always a handy excuse to not exercise.

While gym attendance peaks around January, it slacks off every March/April as people forget about their New Year Resolutions. Summer BBQ's and vacations tend to make people stay away from the gym, and six months later holiday parties and planning to the same thing. Finally, we can all relate to those days when we simply don't want to work out!

The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a trade association serving the health and fitness club industry, reports that the average health club member in the United States spends only about 90 days at the gym per year.

The goal of this article is to help you STAY MOTIVATED to exercise! It's not enough to just help you with the 'how' of exercise � we want to help you with the 'why' too!

So what can you do to stay motivated? Here are five great ideas to help us all keep that inner fire burning�..

1) Find an exercise buddy! When we know that someone else is going to meet us at the gym at a certain time, we will automatically be much more likely to show up ourselves. After all, who wants to abandon their friend? Don�t have a friend at the gym? Invite one along! She will appreciate the invitation, and will be much healthier for it!

2) Get to know people in the gym! Visiting with friends and family while we're exercising makes the time go by so fast it hardly even seems like we're doing something good for us. It's great to get out of the house or office and just have some fun with other people!

3) Talk with your doctor! We all know that exercise is good for us. From helping to prevent cancer to lowering our blood pressure to helping us fit into that swimming suit, exercise is the best thing we can do for ourselves. Even with that knowledge, it's sometimes encouraging to hear about our progress from our doctor. Here's a hot motivation tip: ask your gym for a copy of your fitness records (monthly body fat analysis and measurements) and then share that information with your doctor. He or she will be so happy that you're exercising, and will encourage you to continue!

4) Chart your progress! The CEO of a Fortune 500 company once said "What gets measured gets done", and that advice is as good for us as it was for that business. Take the time to keep a food journal, an exercise log, or simply write down your fitness goals. Post it where you will see it every single day (on the 'fridge, in the car, on the mirror, etc.). Life is just so busy these days, a constant visual reminder of our goals may be just the motivational push we need.

5) Give yourself a reward! Sometimes the 'big picture' can be too intimidating. For example, if you have 80 pounds to lose it's tempting to think "It�s too much! I shouldn�t even try." That�s one of the biggest motivation-killers out there, so combat those discouraging thoughts by rewarding yourself for smaller accomplishments. Treat yourself to a manicure when you lose that first five pounds. Buy a new outfit when you've lost ten pounds. Take a mini-vacation when you're halfway to your goal. Give yourself small rewards for achieving smaller goals, and guess what.....many small steps make up a long journey! Before you know it, you'll have accomplished your overall goal!

There are many other ways to give yourself the motivation to succeed. Try some of these tips today � the only thing you have to lose is the fat!

About the author:
Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit for more information.

Circulated by Article Emporium

Read Articles:

50 Motivational Tips for Exercise and Weight Loss

Health is Your Greatest Asset?

Why you do not have "killer abs" or that "6 pac...

Personal Training: 3 Powerful Ways to Position ...

Where to Buy HGH -

Joseph Pilates: The Man behind the Movement

Powerbreathe, Lung Conditioner and Breathing Ex...

"TAI CHI, not CHAI TEA!"

Muscle and Fitness -- The Second Key To Achievi...

The Subconscious Influence on Your Diet and Per...

Weight Loss Efficiency � 10 ways to make the mo...

Discover the Latest Rave to Hit Fitness Centers

A Diet Buddy Can Help You Lose Weight

Salsa Dancing For Fitness Is Hot

Sportcraft treadmill a great investment for ind...

Are You Financially Fit?

Eating the Australian Way

Double Calories Burned With Five Minutes Of Exe...

Exercise for a Healthy Heart

"How To Get Fit And Slash Your Health Insurance...

You Don't Have to Strain for Cardio Fitness Gains

The Growing Popularity of Treadmills

Exercise & Motivation, Part 4: Maintenance & Re...

Exercise: Why YOU Should Do It

Basic Weight Management

The Mediterranean Diet Full Flavored Foods Help...

Powerful Periodized Strength Training Basics Fo...

Bridging the Gap: The Top 5 Fitness Secrets for...

A Diet Made For You Will Make All The Difference

Muscle Building Workouts - Build Muscle And Fit...

The Core: Unleash Your Inner Caveman

HOW TO FIND A GYM AND START EXERCISING

Finding a Cheap Home Gym -

Anti Aging Techniques For Young Adults

Exercise And Your Anaerobic Threshold

5 Sure-Fire Tips To Save You $1000's On Your Ho...

Getting F.I.T.T. Is Easy

Warming Up Properly

Free Weights vs. Exercise Machines

Look and Feel Young Even After 40 -- Part 2

Make Your New Year's Resolution Stick

Home Exercise Equipment: The Best Gym at Minima...

Star Trac treadmill a stride towards quality.

What is Pilates?

Become A Personal Trainer Online

Eight Amazing Benefits of Teaching Yoga

Pacemaster Treadmill Intelligence

Give the Gift of Health and Fitness this Winter

Ten excuses why people don�t do fitness exercise.

Get In Shape For The Festive Season. What you h...

Diamonds in the Ruff - How to Find a Good Perso...

Is it possible to follow a strict Diet Program ...

How To Build A Low Cost Home Gym

The Technology Behind Elliptical Cross Trainers...

Fast Weight Loss Programs � The importance of l...

10 Health Fitness Tips

Abdominal Exercise Equipment That Really Works

Defeating Back Pain Forever

Lose Weight By Sleeping?

Cycling Your Way To Fitness

More Article Pages 1 - 2 - 3

Do you want to be thinner, healthy and fit?
by: Lucy E. Riddell

While we offer an effective and natural fat loss product � the Jen Fe Next Fat Loss Patch and the Power Patch, we also know that without a commitment from you to bring about some lifestyle changes, you won�t reach optimal fat loss. There is no product in the world that can produce fat loss while we are eating and drinking excessively, and moving only slowly from couch to car to office chair. We need a program of sensible diet and exercise that will support the products we utilize to help our weight loss.

Here�s what to eat:

1. Lots of vegetables and fruits

2. Increase healthy protein intake. This is how you build lean muscle tissue, which in turn speeds up your metabolism. Examples are fish, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, beans, and soy products.

3. Fiber-Rich foods. They will fill up and they make they are satisfying. In this category are: peas, beans, bran cereals, potato skins, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, bulger wheat, 100% whole wheat baked goods, fruits and vegetables.

4. Minerals. Calcium and other minerals are you �secret weapons� against body fat. They are found in low-fat dairy products, small or canned fish, soy tofu, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, bran cereals, and calcium fortified orange juice, and avoid processed, salt-loaded foods.

5. Eat fish and beneficial fats. Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid in some fish, oils and nuts is a good fat. Eat moderate amounts of salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines and other oily fish. Soybeans, nuts, pumpkin seed are also excellent sources for Omega-3.

6. Reduce harmful fats � saturated and trans fats. These are not only high in calories; they are also loaded with harmful fatty acids that cause disease.

7. Always eat an adequate breakfast for several reasons: it will speed up your metabolism earlier in the day and when you skip breakfast, it makes it harder to control your appetite later in the day.

8. Cut back or eliminate alcohol. It is high in non-filling calories. Ideal consumption is one glass of beer or wine a day.

9. Stay away from junk carbohydrates � sugar and white flour are diet killers in all but the smallest amounts.

10. Gradually reduce your calorie intake because extreme and sudden dieting causes your body to conserve, not burn calories, and it slows fat loss.

11. Snack instead of eating large meals � larger, higher calorie meals tend to be stored as fat, instead of burned for energy. Ideally, you should eat five or six smaller, nutritious snacks each day instead of large meals.

12. Move! You must exercise to build lean tissue that burns fat. As little as two to three hours per week of brisk walking at minimum, and you will notice a major impact on your weight loss.

13. Reduce stress. It produces adverse fat-producing chemistry in your body. Try warm baths, meditation, deep breathing, stretching, massage, prayer and rest.

14. Get outside into the sunshine at lest 20 minutes per day � the vitamin D you get from sunshine works with calcium for health and body fat control.

For more information on the Fat Loss Patch, go to www.FatBeGoneWithLucy.com or call 888-407-0570.

This Static Spot is open for sponsor

This Static Spot is open for sponsor